The Teen Research Internship Program (TRIP) is a hands-on learning program for high school students who are motivated to explore their interests in science and medicine. At its core, the program aims to foster a love for science whilst building resiliency, communication, and critical thinking skills outside the traditional confines of school.

The program is split into three phases, including Project Design, Experimentation, and Communication. During the Project Design phase, students use their creativity and curiosity to develop potential research questions surrounding the impact of diet, inflammation, and environmental stress on organismal health, development and behavior, while learning basic lab and problem-solving skills. During the Experimentation phase, students perform experiments, learn to collect and analyze data, and, most importantly, learn how to think through and overcome failure. In the final phase, students present their findings to the scientific community, their peers and their family in a scientific symposium where they gain insight into the real world and big picture applications of their work.

Beyond the lab, students also receive one-on-one mentoring with Fox Chase faculty; they learn team building and leadership skills, get exposure to careers in science and become part of a family of driven and curious students.

Stories from our past students can be found on TRIP's official webpage (http://www.tripinitiative.com/blog), Facebook and Instagram pages (@TRIPInitiative).

The 2027 TRIP starts on Saturday, January 23rd, 2027, and runs through March 27th, 2027 (10 consecutive Saturdays). After the in-lab portion of the course concludes, students present their work at a scientific symposium on Saturday, April 10th, 2027.

Two sessions of the program will be offered where Session A meets from 8:30 AM–12:15 PM and Session B is from 1:15–5:00 PM. Up to 8 students will be enrolled in each session. All classes will be held at William Tennent High School in Warminster, PA.

Philadelphia-area students who will be at least 14 years of age by January 23rd, 2027 and are currently enrolled in grade 9–12 are eligible to apply to TRIP. Residents of New Jersey and Delaware are also welcome to apply. Completion of at least one high school Biology or Chemistry course is preferred but not required.

Students must commit to attend ALL days of the program (including the symposium) in either Session A or B. Note that the program may run through SAT and ACT test dates, prom, and/or spring break.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE (MEANING ANY ABSENCE THAT IS NOT A DOCUMENTED ILLNESS OR PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AND APPROVED ABSENCE) WILL RESULT IN DISMISSAL FROM THE PROGRAM.

Parents/Guardians must confirm and agree to the attendance policy.

All application materials are due 5:00 PM on Monday, October 5th, 2026. Application and email submissions automatically close at this time. Late submissions will not be accepted.

To apply to the next session of TRIP, the applicant must complete this online application and submit one letter of recommendation.

PLEASE NOTE THE APPLICATION CANNOT BE SAVED AND REOPENED. THE APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED OR THE FORM GETS ERASED.

Please request a letter of recommendation to be submitted on your behalf. The letter can come from, but is not limited to, the following individuals: high school administrator (Assistant Principal, Principal, etc.), high school teacher (math, science, English, art, etc.), coach, minister or clergyman from your place of worship, or a supervisor from a current or previous job, club, or volunteer position.

The letter should:

1. State the length and capacity in which the recommender has known the applicant, and
2. Contain an assessment of the applicant's strengths and weaknesses with specific examples that support participation in TRIP.

If applicable, letters should be written on official school letterhead.

Official letters of recommendation should be submitted by the letter writer through the online Dropbox form or emailed directly from the letter writer to Dr. Theresa Austria at tripinitiative@gmail.com with the subject line: "TRIP@WTHS'27 Letter of Recommendation – APPLICANT'S NAME".

Recommenders are also asked to complete the 2027 TRIP Letter of Recommendation tracking form so we can keep track of all persons sending letters of recommendation and on whose behalf.

When requesting a letter of recommendation, be sure to give the writer a copy of these instructions AND a minimum of three weeks to complete your letter.

Applications and letters will be reviewed by a panel of program staff and alumni in October and November. Following review, qualifying applicants will interview with program staff in early December. Final decisions will be made by the end of December 2026.

Please direct all questions to Dr. Theresa Austria at tripinitiative@gmail.com. Please use "TRIP@WTHS'27" in the subject line of all emails regarding the 2027 program.